Meanwhile, chum Sylvia Hale, using the self-same analogy "Keystone Cops," gave an interview that's reproduced on a "Welcome to Palestine" website.
Concluded the former Greens NSW parliamentarian:
"I'm delighted that we took on this challenge. From the larger perspective, we've established a precedent, so that anyone may now go to Israel and then request entry to the West Bank. I anticipate possibly thousands of people availing themselves of the opportunity and wonder just how the Israeli authorities will deal with that! I'm delighted, Vivienne and I could not have asked for a more successful outcome. We now see how unjust Israel is and it's not just a blockade on Gaza but a blockade of all Palestine." http://welcometopalestinenews.blogspot.com/2011/07/interview-with-ms-sylvia-hale.html
"So, one could conclude that, for the alleged 'crime' of saying 'We want to go to Palestine', we spent 36 hours in reasonably unpleasant and frustrating detention, were threatened with deportation, and have spent about $4,000 on legal fees."
ReplyDelete"... I anticipate possibly thousands of people availing themselves of the opportunity [request entry to Palestine] and wonder just how the Israeli authorities will deal with that! "
I don't know how the Israeli authorities will deal with that but I'm pretty certain I know how Israeli lawyers will.
A party is in the works!:
ReplyDeletehttp://coalitionforpalestine.org/
At 4pm Sun 31 July, (following the AGM), you are invited to:
A Community Event to welcome home Sylvia Hale and Vivienne Porzsolt Blockaded from Gaza, Barred from Bethlehem:
Tom Foster Community Centre, 11-13 Darley St, Newtown
(St Peters station, 422, 308, 370 buses)
“For the alleged ‘crime’ of saying ‘We want to go to Palestine’, we spent 36 hours in unpleasant, frustrating detention in Tel Aviv, were threatened with deportation from Israel, spent about $4,000 on legal fees…”
Sylvia Hale and Vivienne Porzsolt, recently returned from the Gaza Freedom Flotilla 2 and the Welcome to Palestine Flytilla, will tell us about their experiences and discuss the ways Israel frustrated their efforts to visit Palestine.
ALL WELCOME
Just for the record. Their 'crime' was not saying ‘We want to go to Palestine’. Israel reserves the right, as does every country I researched, of refusing entrance to potential trouble makers. The 'crime' was not immediately returning to the plane they had arrived on. They were completely aware that refusal of entry was highly probable and expected to be detained prior to deportation.
ReplyDeleteI'm too biased against them to be a fair judge. Do they appear as ridiculous to the average Australian as they do to me?
David... most Australians couldn't give a hoot about them
ReplyDeleteExcellent suggestion, SG - if only ...
ReplyDelete